Do you ever check the prices on other sites before you buy on meh et al?

Felton10 thought this was worth mentioning said Fri, Jul 28th 2023 at 10:43am ET

My latest example of why this is a good idea was during the last $ 50 IRKathon where I was half heartedly looking for something to buy which I needed (and my wife wouldn’t kill me for buying) for $ 49.95 so I could get an IRK for one cent. Focused in on a set of Ginzu knives in a block for the $ 49.95 price that my wife said we could use.

Anyway before I bought it went looking on Amazon and saw the same purple knife set for $ 48 plus change which was close enough not to make a different, but it was the black Ginzu set that caused me to pause and buy it from Amazon. They were selling it for $ 28 plus change-a full $ 20 less than Meh.

Now I know that Amazon sometimes reduces the price when someone is selling it cheaper to match them, but if they can reduce the knife set by $ 20 then Meh could price it cheaper to begin with.

6 comments, 4 replies
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werehatrack said Fri, Jul 28th 2023 at 11:07am ET:

I have seen Amazon pricing come up different on the exact same item based on one browser running via 5G on a laptop while the other search was on a different browser and machine via hardwire to cable. But one of them had apparently contained cookie crumbs that 'Zon could sniff from a search of several other sites first, while the other system went straight to the 'Zon before shopping around. The one with crumbs got offered a price that was a full 30% lower. Neither system was signed in to the 'Zon. To the 'Zon, it’s less about whether they make a profit on this sale than it’s about crushing any competitor they think they can eliminate.

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- @werehatrack Amazon and Walmart will drop prices to or below cost on slow-selling items in order to clear warehouse space for incoming shipments. They are willing to lose money on a few items to keep people coming back to look for bargains.
  
  But just because Amazon can sell an item below cost, it does not follow that other sellers can afford to do the same.
  
  rockblossom said Fri, Jul 28th 2023 at 11:59am ET
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blaineg said Fri, Jul 28th 2023 at 11:11am ET:

Of course. Don’t remember what it was now, but there was something mildly interesting on SideDeal during the last IRK. Amazon was around 30% cheaper.

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fjp999 said Fri, Jul 28th 2023 at 12:35pm ET:

Yes. I have learned to check Amazon during these IRK sales.

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narfcake said Fri, Jul 28th 2023 at 1:16pm ET:
I do most of the time – but not necessarily with only Amazon.
- For small kitchen appliances, it’s with thrift store equivalent (and vice versa). The thrift stores have won the majority, except for hand mixers because the beaters are often missing.
- T-shirts, I use catshirtswoot as a basis. Catch the right sale and/or discount, and they’re under $10 each. When local thrift stores want $6+ for used, I’ll lean towards new. The math doesn’t apply if I really like the design, however.
- Home goods like towels and sheets, I’ve preferred checking them out in store. Curtains, I got some stupid cheap at Amazon Warehouse, so I’m not going to be in the market for those for many more years.
I’ll still impulse purchase stuff if I see it’s something useful, can’t have too many of, and at a price I don’t need to question.
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werehatrack said Fri, Jul 28th 2023 at 3:04pm ET:

Sometimes I check, sometimes not. My shopping habits have shifted over the past few years, as I have come to the realization that the first question I really need to ask myself is “Will I actually use this often enough to merit having to make space for it?” Most of the time, the answer comes up “No.”

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- @werehatrack I need to ask myself that question more.
  
  Or at least listen to the answer.
  
  blaineg said Fri, Jul 28th 2023 at 5:24pm ET
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- @blaineg @werehatrack When in doubt …
  
  /8ball
  Without a doubt
  
  narfcake said Fri, Jul 28th 2023 at 5:54pm ET
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blaineg said Fri, Jul 28th 2023 at 5:24pm ET:

For Amazon, you really need the Camelizer.

https://camelcamelcamel.com/camelizer

Price history and/or price watches at a click. Don’t squander money without it!

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- @blaineg I check camelcamelcamel the three cs when something seemes questionable on Slickdeals. Meh is… A little different. At least on the stuff I buy it’s probably not available anywhere
  
  unksol said Sat, Jul 29th 2023 at 9:58am ET
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